St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-23

Let us suppose that you have million
III double gold eagles in the vaults of
the bank. Imagine now that by some
dire judgement of God, like that of the
deluge, all the inhabitants of the globe
are swept away, and you alone remain.
How much would your million in gold
be worth? You could putt to no better
use than to throw at the birds. 1t is
society that has wrought into gold its
value. The same is true of ali landed
property beyond the acre or two that
supplies your individual wants. The
same is true of all investments in manu-
features and commerce. Values are inn
parted by society. Let us suppose that
a quarter OF century ago Mr.. A. came
to this city and bought in what was
then its outskirts, ten acres of land.
The soil is no richer, the sun smiles no
brighter, the rain falls no kindlier upon
it than on any ten acres III the heart OF
some rural county in Iowa.
and Mr.. \. pays no more for it. But i'll
the course of time the little village
grows into a city. Railroads come,
mighty manufacturing industries come,
a great and extended trade springs up,
people pour in by the ten thousands,
bringing with them wealth and culture
and refinement. Palatial residences
are built up all around Mr.. AIS prop
erty. Churches, schools and colleges
erty is now worth as many thousands
as it was worth hundreds twenty-five
years ago. What has conferred that
value on this property? Not Mr.. A.
He has not struck spade into the
ground. Mr.. AIS personal interest in
that property amounts to what he paid
for 1t, plus the interest and taxes.
Society, by flowing in and surrounding
that property, has made it a desirable
place of residence, and has by its own
gracious benefaction conferred every
dollar of those thousands of added
value. The property that cost Mr.. A. a
thousand he sells for a hundred thou
sand and retireS with handsome
fortune. Does Mr.. A. owe anything to
society? l claim that he does. The
providence of God has put into Mr.. AIS
hands this large fragment of the wealth
of society. and God will hold Mr.. A. re-
sponsible for pouring back into the
bosom OF society i'll equivalent benefits
the wealth which he has received there
from. This city contains great many
conspicuous Mr.. AS, and there are
few of us in this congregation who are
not Mr.. A. i'll more or less diminutiVe
form, and those who are not are trying
to he. We are looking with keen
interest for the probable move
mentS of populations, and are
eager to purchase real estate
where we think society will flow in Or
der that we personally mayreap a value
which society has created. Now it is
principle of righteousness as firm as
the everlasting hills that every man has
a right to the values he creates. And
that principle applied to society means
that society has the right to the values
which society creates. And when soci-
ETY. flows in and surrounds your lot and
multiplieS its value, society has the
right to the enjoyment OF that value
which itself has created. The fact is
that men, whenever they are compelled
to do so, are ready enough to recognize
the righteousness of this obligation.
When, for instance there is great man
ufactory to be located in this city,
whose presence is certain to null
tiply the value of the surrounding
property, the manufacturers lay claim
as their right, and the property holders
cOncede that claim, to a generous share
at least, in the enhanced values which
the presence of their industry creates.
Manufacturers make the location c0ndi-
tional upon the concession of that right.
We owe all enhancement of values,
above the original cost of production,
manufacture, sale and delivery, to the
presence of society; they are values
created by society, and to society we
ought to repay the values so created.
We have no moral right to hold them in
exclusive enjoyment; we have no right
to hand them down exclusively to our
children. They are values created by
our fellow men and to our fellow men
they should go back. They should go
back in the endowment of public insti-
buttons, schools, colleges, hospi-
tails, libraries, the care of the poor, and
especially in such evangelical agencies
as shall sustain and spread thei Gospel.
These are payments due to society, not
charities. They are the just debts of
men, whose wealth society has created.
Now let us consider some debts we owe
society which are not monetary. If you
want to see what man is without the
uplifting influences of society look at
the buShmen of Australia who live
alone in caves or trees, whose language
is confused cackle like that of hen.
If we want to see what he is in low
form of society we peer into the wig
wan of an Indian. All that the red
man you will see there is, his surround
ings have made him. He was born in
to that life and by that he was moulded.
If you had been born there you would
have been an Indian too. What you
are and what you enjoy you owe to the
society whose beneficient and elevating
influences you have enjoyed. All that
distinguishes me from MOdoc buck,
all that distinguishes my wife from
Modoc squaw, all that distinguishes my
baby from Modoc papoOSe, all that
distinguishes my house from Modoc
wigwam l owe to the society in which
have been born and bred. The differ
ence between the babe that is born in
your household and the babe that is
born in the Modoc's wigwam is very
little. Exchange places with them and
your child will grow up a savage and
gentleman. If it is maintained that we
come into this world with inherited in
StinctS, powerS and tendencies of super
ior order, which is doubtless quite
true; even then our law of debt still
holds. For what are these nat
Nral elements of superiority
but inherited tendencies, the
reSiduum of the work of society upon
our ancestors? They are the gift of past
social forces handed down to us and in
wrought in us to enjoy. Think over a
little the magnitude of this debt to So
ciety. The house you live in; how wide
the difference between that comfortable
many-roOmed, convenient and tasteful
sheltering abode and hut of bark or
skins. You owe that house in its plan,
structure and material to society. You are
the heir of the thought and toll of ages.
The feed which will be spread for your
dinner to-day on the snowy cloth; how
widely does that differ from the crushed
corn of the wigwam or the wild nuts of
the bushman? You we.that difference
to society. The elegant, tasteful and
comfortable clothing which you wear;
you owe the difference between that and
the skins with which the Indian vainly
tries to protect himself to society. You
stem into XOur palace car and in few